Furniture construction



March 5, 1935. R A ON 1,993,437

FURNITURE CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 14, 1935 INVENTOR REGINALD A.-FERGU50N.

g ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 5, 1935 FURNITURE CONSTRUCTION Delaware Application August 14, 1 933,;Serial'No. .684,981

- In Canada December 7, 1932 6'Claims. (01. -128) This invention relates to improvements in furniture-construction and the object ofthe inventionis to provide an article of furniture, such as a couch, chair or" the like having-a removable portion adapted to be supported in position to serve asa-table, armrest or headrest. A further object-is to-provide an article'of furniture as aforesaid-so constructed that when the removable portioni's not in-use it has the appearance of being an-integral part of the furniture. *AnStlll furtherobjectisto provide-a device as aforesaid of simple and durable construction whichim'ay 'be:manufactured' at lowcost. Various otherrob'jects andlthe advanta'gesof the inventiornmay be ascertained fromthe following description-and the: accompanying drawing.

The invention resides, essentially, in the provision, in combination with an article of furniture such as a chair, couch or the like, of a removable end board supported by posts extending laterally into the furniture, said end board being removable and the posts being then insertable in sockets on the furniture normally concealed by the end board, whereby the board will be rigidly supported in a horizontal plane at an elevation such that the board may be used as a table. In greater detail, the invention comprises the features and combinations of features described or disclosed in the accompanying drawing or which lie within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing, which illustrates one embodiment of the invention, but to the details of which the invention is not confined as modifications and substitutions may be effected and are contemplated:-

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a couch constructed according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the structure shown in Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the table and supporting posts.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 11 designates the body of a couch or lounge having an upholstered seat 12. The body is provided internally at one or both ends with horizontally disposed fixed tubular sockets 13, the outer ends of which extend to and open through the outer surfaces of the body ends proper, designated 14. Below the horizontal sockets, the body ends are provided with externally disposed fixed vertical sockets 15.

The body is also provided with removable false ends 16 supported by posts 17 rigidly secured to the false ends and engageable in either the horizontal or the vertical sockets. The false ends are formed on their innerisur'faces withilowpe ripheral flanges 18,iadapt'e'd to seat tightlyiagain'st the fabric "covering of the-body and"avoi'd the occurrence of 'a 'tcrack, .such as might "be :o'c'casionedby unevenn'ess of'thefabri'c if-the end 116 Ci had iextend'edxsurface contact with the fabric. The inner surfaces of-ithei-false-ends arealso' 'reicessed, asislrown at '19, to accommodate the sockets 15. The posts l'lare secured tothe-=false end adjacent one edge thereof, as. shown, I and to afford secure attachment for the posts 1 andalso to reinforce the false: ends, feet. 201 areaprovided on the posts extendingjacross the widthwofythe end and suitably-secured to the end',gthese-ffeet extending in a generally diagonal direction so as to pass the socket receiving recesses 19. z

The false ends 16 may be removed from the body 11 and the lower ends of the posts 17 inserted in the vertical sockets 15, so that the ends 16 are supported in horizontal position with their outer surfaces uppermost. The length of the posts 17 and the disposition of the sockets 15 is such that the ends 16 will be supported at an elevation enabling their use as an arm rest, head rest or table. When applying the posts 17 to the sockets 15, the end 16 may be turned so as to project outwardly from the seat or may be turned so as to overlie the end of the seat.

Any suitable means may be provided to adjust the elevation of the end when used as a table. One such method comprises formation of the posts with reduced end portions 21 forming shoulders 22 a short distance from the free ends of the posts. The sockets 15 are each provided with two bores 23 and 24 in the former ofwhich the reduced end portions 21 may be received while the shoulders 22 rest on the top of the socket member. The other bore 24 is larger and adapted to receive the posts above the shoulders, the bores being reduced at their lower ends to supportingly engage the post shoulders.

The structure is extremely simple and durable and, with a minimum of mechanism, provides tables or arm rests adjustable to various positions which may be stored out of the way when not required for use and which do not detract from the appearance of the couch, chair or the like. There are no moving parts to get out of order and the desired adjustments may be effected in a few seconds.

According to the preferred construction, the body is covered with an ornamental fabric, upholstered or not as desired, and the element 16 has a natural wood or enamel finish to contrast with the fabric and. give the appearance of a frame end, the said finish adapting the element for use as a table.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:-

1. In furniture construction, a frame having a seat thereon, horizontal and vertical sockets carried by an end of said frame, a table including legs engageable in said horizontal sockets to support the table top in a vertical plane, said table top having means whereby in vertical position it may conceal all said sockets whereby the table top constitutes a false end for said frame, said legs being also engageable in said vertical sockets to support the table top in a horizontal plane at the end of the frame.

2. Structure according to claim 1, in which the body is fabric covered and the table top or false end member is formed with a flange adapted to be embedded in the fabric covering of the body thereby to conceal any space between the body and said end member and give an appearance of unity to the structure.

3. In furniture construction,'a body having a seat thereon, internal sockets carried by an end of said body beneath the seat, external sockets carried by the said end of the body, a flanged end plate for the body, and means carried by saidplate engageable in said internal sockets to support the end plate with its flanges in engagement with the body end and in position to conceal said external sockets, said means being engageable in said external sockets thereby to support'the end plate in horizontal position in such relation to the seat that the plate may serve as a head rest, arm rest or end table associated with the seat.

4. Structure according to claim 1 in which the table legs are formed with supporting surfaces spaced inwardly from the ends, said vertical sockets being arranged in a plurality of pairs and formed with supporting surfaces at different elevations for engagement by said leg surfaces, thereby to support the table top at different elevations.

5. In furniture construction, a body having a seat thereon, horizontal internal and vertical external sockets carried by an end of said body, an end plate for the body having recesses to receive said external sockets, support means carried by said end plate engageable in said horizontal sockets to locate the plate in socket concealing position at the end of the body, said support means being engageable in said vertical sockets to locate the plate in horizontal position at the end of the body where it may serve as an end table.

6. In furniture construction, a frame having a seat thereon, horizontal and vertical sockets carried by an end of said frame, a table including a top recessed on its under side, and legs projecting from the under side of said table top and engageable in said horizontal sockets to support the table top in a vertical plane at the end of said frame to receive said vertical sockets in the recess thereof, said top being of a size and being supported in position to conceal all said sockets, whereby the table top has the appearance of being an integral end of the frame, said legs being at another time engageable in said vertical sockets to support the table top in a horizontal plane at the end of the frame.

REGINALD A. FERGUSON. 

